Vacancy rates in London’s NHS

Onkar Sahota: The Royal College of Nursing has warned that the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement failed to “give any commitment to a funded strategy for England to address the tens of thousands of vacant nurse jobs in health and care”. What conversations are you having with the NHS in London regarding this issue and what immediate actions do you think the Government need to take on this issue in London?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. I share the Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) concerns about the Government’s failure to decisively to address NHS workforce shortages. Vague references in the CSR to - and I quote - “hundreds of millions of pounds in additional funding to ensure a bigger and better trained NHS workforce” gives me little confidence. We need a clear, funded, multiyear Government plan to invest in NHS workforce expansion, education, and training. Despite an increase of 13% in nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff over the past four years, the vacancy rate in London is 13.5%. That is 9,445 posts.
Although I have limited powers in this area, I continue to champion, challenge and collaborate with London’s senior NHS leaders on workforce issues through regular meetings with SirDavidSloman, NHS London Regional Director. We also discussed health and care workforce challenges at the London Health Board meeting this week. I am proud to host access to the CapitalNurse programme on the GLA website and I will shortly be announcing details for a Health Skills Hub as part of my new Academies Programme.

Onkar Sahota: Thank you, MrMayor, for that answer. Of course, we are talking about the nurses and doctors, the heroes of the nation who were clapped every morning, not like these Tory MPs who were in the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the pandemic, double-dipping their earnings and voting remotely. We are talking about people who went in the morning, at night-time, looking after patients who were ill with COVID. They were the heroes of the pandemic. They ran towards the risks rather than running away to the Virgin Islands.
I want to just put on record the tremendous debt we owe to the NHS workers who have worked very hard and who have not been lining their pockets in the pandemic. This Government has treated them like villains, giving them a derogatory 3% pay rise when the inflation rate is 4.5%, demoralising them. They are leaving the NHS in droves. The commitment to an increase of 6,000 general practitioners (GPs) by 2025 has now been shelved with the Government accepting it cannot deliver it.
Given all this, do you think this Government is helping London to look after our NHS workers, and how can the Government help us more in London so that we can look after our heroes?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, Chair, can I through you thank DrSahota [AM] for the work he does for the NHS and the members of his family who work for the NHS and others, indeed, who work for the NHS and the social care sector as well.
I was at StThomas’ Hospital this Monday and was hearing from some of the practitioners about the consequences of the last 18 months, which have compounded the consequences of austerity for the last
11 years, in relation to staff morale, staff fatigue, staff mental ill health, overwork, tiredness and also vacancies. My concern is not simply the issue you have addressed, which is how they feel let down - because they have been let down - but the impact that has on others joining the NHS. Why would you if you have seen how colleagues who are maybe thinking about joining have been treated over the recent past. It is really important that we do not take for granted the NHS and those who work in the NHS, and that we do not take for granted that these vacancies ‑‑ almost 10,000 vacancies in London in the NHS. Put aside social care for a second. That is why it is really important that the Government recognises this.
I have recently been watching the programme made by EdBalls [broadcaster and former MP] on the BBC about social care, which has opened my eyes to actually what goes on, and what people were telling me last year inside those care homes and how they are transformative in relation to the care they provide to those who are older. It is really important that the Government steps in to support what is a service that is in danger of collapsing.

Onkar Sahota: Yes, of course, MrMayor, I work in the NHS and, as you said, my family work there. My colleagues are very upset about the way the Government treats them and tries to put a wedge between them and patients.
Let us just see what we can do in London to help our NHS staff. Are you concerned about the Government’s plans to cull the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) courses and its potential knock-on impact on preventing thousands of working-class young Londoners from going to university to train as nurses and healthcare workers? Can you use your Academies Programme to help to train up some of the capital’s next generation of nurses?

Sadiq Khan: I discussed this matter with the Education Secretary recently. It is not about wanting to get rid of BTEC courses for the sake of it or because they do not want people to go to do these great jobs in the NHS. It is a question of simplifying the qualification. It is quite a complex area. We know about A levels. That is quite straightforward. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is quite straightforward. There are lots and lots of BTEC courses. That simplicity and clarity would help us.
As far as the further education (FE) sector is concerned, we have now been devolved the AEB and we are looking at health academies. We are talking to those who are experts in social care about working with them in relation to social care academies because of the massive vacancies. Also, these are really fantastic jobs if the Government recognises this as an area that is going to be growing and gives us the resources they need. We are working with the FE sector. We are speaking to the Government.
Actually, I am always happy to criticise, but I want to commend [the Rt Hon] NadhimZahawi [MP, Secretary of State for Education] in relation to his collegial way of working. I am hoping he will listen to some of the concerns you are raising, and I will certainly make those points to him the next time I see him as well.

Onkar Sahota: The other thing of course is that the cost of housing is very expensive in London and social housing is not readily available. You have proposed the idea that maybe nurses and healthcare workers can be given priority for social housing. How are you progressing that idea?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. The key concern we have is we have now record numbers of council homes being built - great news - but many of those who work in NHS are not eligible for those council homes because their wages may be slightly above the income threshold. How do we help those who are working in the NHS to be able to afford to live in London? They cannot afford the luxury penthouse flats that were built in previous years, and so we have to make sure there is intermediate housing at less than the market value that they can have access to. We are doing a lot of work with councils and with housing providers to ensure that there is keyworker housing reserved for people in the NHS and those who work in the health and care sector. We have recently hosted a housing for keyworkers event with key partners and I am hoping to make an announcement shortly about the first keyworkers being given this intermediate housing in London.

Onkar Sahota: One other thing of course the Government could help us with is giving us a fair settlement for TfL. The cost of travel is very expensive. Do you think the Government could help us by giving us a long-term settlement for TfL so that we could consider giving concessionary travel or subsidised travel to our NHS workers?

Sadiq Khan: We have given NHS workers access to the reimbursement scheme for the ULEZ. It was really important to do so. The Government wanted us to remove free travel for those over the age of 60 and free travel for those who are children. We managed to resist that last year. Most of the Assembly was on my side in that campaign to resist that and I thank members of the Green Party, the Liberal Democrat Party, and the Labour Party for their support. We have to keep what we have. Of course, if we had more money from the Government and if we have a good recovery, we would look at more areas of concessionary travel.
I have to be honest, though. My concern is to avoid massive cuts in bus and Tube services as well as potential road and bridge closures. I do not want to give any false hope to colleagues in the NHS in that area.

Onkar Sahota: Good. Thank you, MrMayor.

Manifesto Commitments

Susan Hall: How are you ensuring you deliver all of your manifesto commitments?

Sadiq Khan: Since my re-election in May[2021], my team and I have made good progress on delivering on my manifesto commitments. Only a few months into my second term, we have already launched London’s biggest ever domestic tourism campaign to get the central London economy moving again; committed over £32million for the funding of skills academies to help Londoners take advantage of job opportunities in key growth areas; expanded the world-leading ULEZ to an area 18 times the size of the original central zone; agreed a new £3.46billion deal with the Government to build more genuinely affordable housing; secured £10million of investment to help deliver interventions for up to 2,500 children and young people at the greatest risk of serious violence; invested nearly £2million to help young Londoners exit criminal gangs; invested £150,000 in a new programme to support London’s under pressure nurseries and childminders; announced a retrofit revolution in a partnership with up to £10billion to deliver large-scale, low-carbon upgrades to our city’s social housing, cutting carbon whilst supporting the creation of green jobs; invested £6million to create and improve green space as part of London Climate Action Week, and the list goes on.
My manifesto is an ambitious plan for a brighter future and is targeted specifically to address the scale of the challenges our city faces at this unique point in its history from the climate emergency to the urgent need to rebuild our economy after the pandemic. The manifesto commitments include actions for the GLA and the functional bodies, and in areas where the powers are not devolved and we currently receive insufficient funding, issues we plan to lobby Government on. We have been working hard to build bridges across party lines, both within London and with the national Government, to get the best for our city. My manifesto is aimed at delivering a safer, greener, fairer and more prosperous city.

Susan Hall: Thank you, MrMayor. Actually, I was not going to ask you about those manifesto pledges; you made lots. In your 2021 Manifesto, you made commitments about transparency or being transparent five times. You also said last year that you were, and I quote, “proud to be the most open and transparent Mayor of London ever.” Do you think you are delivering on that commitment?

Sadiq Khan: I do and if you look at the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) [requests], we answered more than any Mayor over an eight-year period in just five years. When you look at the number of Mayor’s Question Times (MQTs) and Plenary sessions and Assembly meetings I go to, when you look at the number of People’s Question Times, events I do where I take questions from members of the public, I am far more transparent than any Mayor in the history of this great city and I will carry on doing so as long as I am Mayor.

Susan Hall: I am glad you said that because you say it very often and if you say things often enough, people tend to think you are correct, but at the last meeting of the Audit Panel, Internal Audit brought the most recent Review of Public Correspondence report for us to consider. It showed that the Mayor’s Team had only 44%, 43% and 50% of responses within the two-week statutory deadline for the months May, April and March respectively, which compares to a target of 90%. In fact, it was noted that the Mayor’s Office was, and I quote, “the worst performing Directorate for public correspondence ...” With this in mind, can you possibly say that you are the most transparent Mayor ever, and will you admit that you are failing in your commitments to be transparent?

Sadiq Khan: I can say it, I do say it and I am, and there are a number of things we can point to. Look at the number of FOIs we respond to in record time‑‑

Susan Hall: I am not talking about FOIs; I am talking about correspondence, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: -- and it is interesting that the Member looks towards a comparator during a pandemic to try to find examples of bad practice. The reality is in the five years plus I have been Mayor‑‑

Susan Hall: Well, you‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- we have provided more information‑‑

Susan Hall: That is actually‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- in speedier time.

Susan Hall: That is not correct.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I have got to be able to answer the question. It is either MQT or the AssemblyMember’s‑‑

Susan Hall: OK. Shall we go on to a different‑‑

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMember, the Mayor must be able toreply.

Susan Hall: Sorry, is he still telling youuntruths? Yes. Shall I go on to something else that you might prefer, MrMayor?

Sadiq Khan: For those young people‑‑

Susan Hall: In your manifesto‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- watching, not all politicians are rude like AssemblyMember SusanHall. Some are very polite and courteous.

Susan Hall: And some answer questions, everybody in the audience. The next question. Let us have a bash‑‑

Andrew Boff: MrMayor, I think those personal comments are uncalled for. Would you like to reply to your first question? AssemblyMember, the Mayor must be able to reply to your question.

Sadiq Khan: There is analysis, which shows that we are more transparent than either of the previous two Mayors, there is analysis that shows we respond more speedily than either of the previous two Mayors, but also analysis that shows we receive far more volumes than any of the previous two Mayors. When it comes to percentages, what it hides is the vast volumes and in aggregate numbers, the responses are far greater from my team. We will carry on being transparent and it is really important that Londoners have confidence in the process but also in speedy responses.

Susan Hall: Just for information, the Mayoral Team only had 3.5% of all requests and you cannot blame the lateness of responding on that. I will go on to something different. In your manifesto, MrMayor, you promised “to review how to further involve local communities in the planning decisions that affect them...” and that is a quote. Do you think that building inappropriate tower blocks on TfL station car parks, against the wishes of thousands of local residents and three local planning committees so far, is a good example of involving local communities in planning decisions that affect them?

Sadiq Khan: Let me give examples of what we have done to address the issue of engagement that has been referred to in the question asked by the Member, which is community engagement and planning. We have a community engagement handbook, which has been produced by me since I became Mayor, which is on the principles of community engagement and the principles are currently being fed through into the work the Planning Team is undertaking. We also have, since I have been elected Mayor, community engagement on call-ins. We have committed to continue to hold hybrid meetings for call-ins, and I held the first ever one. Chair, there are more people to participate in the process, and this experience post-manifesto shows that our approach is already enabling more people to engage. Officers are currently working on an enhanced engagement strategy to supplement statutory consultations, so over and above what we are required to do.
Additionally - I was asked the question - we have community engagement as part of plan making. We carried out a significant engagement programme to involve a broad range of Londoners in the development of the London Plan, more than any other Mayor in the history of our city, another example of engagement, which was a question asked by the Member in relation to planning. This included significant numbers of community events and panels, as well as more traditional consultation. We are, indeed, undertaking bespoke approaches to engagement on the London Plan guidance. Another example‑‑

Susan Hall: No, no‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- of the innovation -- well, Chair‑‑

Susan Hall: Well‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- she may not like it, but she asked the question and I am giving the answer.

Susan Hall: “She” asked the question, quite so‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Well, Chair, who is going to‑‑

Susan Hall: -- but equally, “she” is on a timer‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- Chair‑‑

Susan Hall: -- here‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair‑‑

Susan Hall: -- as you well know. So‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- I can either be allowed to answer the question or you can‑‑

Susan Hall: Well, you‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- allow the Member to interrupt.

Susan Hall: -- can rattle on all you like. I will then say to you, you can engage, if you like, but actually what you should be doing, MrMayor‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, this is a speech‑‑

Susan Hall: -- is listening‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- and, Chair, you have got to be impartial.

Susan Hall: -- to what the residents are saying to you.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, you must be impartial. Chair‑‑

Andrew Boff: Can we‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- I know she is your leader. You must be impartial.

Andrew Boff: -- get an answer to‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Well, I was answering, and you interrupted. Can I answer now?

Andrew Boff: Perhaps you could be a bit more concise with your answer.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, it is not for you to tell me how long I can answer for.

Andrew Boff: Actually, it is.

Sadiq Khan: Well, no‑‑

Susan Hall: It is, yes.

Andrew Boff: If you could‑‑

Sadiq Khan: It is MQT.

Andrew Boff: -- if you could‑‑

Susan Hall: Know your place, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: It is MQT.

Susan Hall: Know your place.

Sadiq Khan: It is MQT.

Andrew Boff: If you could be more concise‑‑

Sadiq Khan: It is not Tory Question Time, Chair. It is MQT. Another example of the engagement, which was what I was asked about, was our digital platforms. The Planning Team has led the way on using different digital platforms to engage with communities, which was the question asked by the Member. The problem is there are too many examples of our engagement. I will give you another example of engagement.

Susan Hall: No, I do not need any more examples. With respect, I am on a timer.
The point is: you may want to engage with people, but the idea is that you listen to them. You do not ask them a question and then take no regard of their answer whatsoever. You have got thousands and thousands of people that have signed against development on TfL land. In fact, the excellent Member of Parliament (MP), TheresaVilliers, has just handed in a petition of another 2,627 signatures against the High Barnet development. Thousands and thousands of people do not want these developments. It is no good saying you have asked them, if you are not listening to the answers. Will you listen to these people?
You also pledged in your manifesto to oppose‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, is there a question?

Susan Hall: -- tall buildings. Well, I am saying listen to the‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Well, now you are‑‑

Susan Hall: Are you going to tell‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- you are making‑‑

Susan Hall: -- all these people‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- you are making a speech.

Susan Hall: -- that you will listen to them?

Sadiq Khan: The Chair has got to be impartial, but he is not, clearly.

Susan Hall: No, I am speaking on behalf of lots of residents, MrMayor.

Sem Moema: You are meant to be‑‑

Susan Hall: You are not involved in this at all, AssemblyMember‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Andrew, this is beneath you, Andrew. Andrew, it is‑‑

Andrew Boff: Can we get‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- beneath you.

Andrew Boff: -- can we get a question?

Susan Hall: OK. The next question: you also pledged in your manifesto to oppose tall buildings and I am quoting here “that don’t enhance London’s skyline, or which provide little social or economic benefit.” Do you think building tower blocks that harm conservation areas, listed buildings and listed parks, as TfL is proposing at places such as Stanmore, Canons Park, Arnos Grove and Cockfosters, is a good exampleof “social or economic benefit”? Well, why do you not listen‑‑

Andrew Boff: That was a question?

Susan Hall: -- and you will pick up the question. Do you think it is a good example of‑‑

Andrew Boff: I heard the question.

Susan Hall: -- “social or economic benefit,” question mark?

Sadiq Khan: Sorry, Chair. In the fourth minute of the question, I lost train of what was being said. Can she repeat that?

Susan Hall: Oh, and that is the way not to answer questions, because it is not answering. OK, let us try something else‑‑

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMember‑‑

Susan Hall: -- because this is -- let us try something else, MrMayor, because this is on everybody’s mind, even people opposite. There are many local concerns about the impact of removal of commuter parking on the safety of female and vulnerable transport usersparticularly late at night. Do you agree that nothing should be done by TfL or any other GLA body that puts people at risk, and will you therefore agree to review TfL’s development schemes on this basis?

Sadiq Khan: All TfL schemes that go to a planning committee and a council are properly considered by the officers. There is a proper consultation, and the officers make a recommendation to the councillors on thePlanning Committee. In relation to TfL sites that are surplus to TfL’s requirements, the Government has now required TfL as part of the deal to make sure there is property development of those sites and TfL will continue to accede to the requirements of the Government deal to develop those properties surplus to TfL’s requirements.

Susan Hall: TfL is your responsibility, MrMayor. TfL is being directed to do all this on station car parks, and you have thousands of Londoners that are begging you not to do this.

Public Gallery: Hear, hear.

Susan Hall: How many station car parks do you intend to build on? I say “you” because you are in charge of TfL.

Sadiq Khan: Let me be quite clear and unapologetic. There is a chronic shortage of affordable housing in our city, not a chronic shortage of car parking spaces in our city.

Public Gallery: Oh, yes, there is.

Sadiq Khan: There is a crisis‑‑

Public Gallery: Oh, yes, there is.

Sadiq Khan: -- there is‑‑

Public Gallery: Oh, yes, there is.

Sadiq Khan: -- there is a crisis when it comes to housing in our city, not a crisis when it comes to car park spaces next to Tube stations in our city‑‑

Public Gallery: Not‑‑

Sadiq Khan: -- and this was‑‑

Andrew Boff: Please, please, can I ask the public gallery to not comment during the question and answer session because it gets in the way of hearing what the response is. Thank you.

Susan Hall: MrMayor, you are complaining there is a decrease in fare money coming into TfL. It does not help when people cannot drive and park at a station in order then to come into London, using public transport, which every one of us wants people to do. I will leave it there because of our time.

Andrew Boff: Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: Sorry, Chair, was that a question?

Susan Hall: No. No.

Sadiq Khan: You have to chair at some stage, Andrew.

Andrew Boff: I think it was finished.

Susan Hall: This is what he does when he is‑‑

Andrew Boff: It was finished.

Susan Hall: -- when he does not know the answers.

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMember‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Sorry, Chair, was that a question? Chair, was that a question?

Andrew Boff: I do not think it was, but it was a finish.

Sadiq Khan: It was‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Do you mean retrofitting?

Keith Prince: Yes.

Sadiq Khan: I can write to the Member. I do not have to hand the deals of retrofitting and all that.

Keith Prince: Could I just ask you another question on the back of that because I believe you would want to be helpful on this. The fact is that that all the work has now been done by the trade on retrofitting Euro5 to 6 but, in order to authorise these, there needs to be road testing of the system, which, as you may well know, is the final step before they can be approved, but TfL has yet to even look at a converted cab. Would you, MrMayor, be kind enough to ask MrByford [AndyByford, Commissioner, TfL] that before the next MQT next month he can report on progress on TfL working with the cab trade to ensure that these conversions are authorised?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, for clarity, is the question: can the Commissioner give an update to the Member in relation to the progress of retrofitting?

Keith Prince: It is more than that, MrMayor. Would you use your not-insignificant influence on TfL so that it hurries up and gets the testing done so that these cabs can be converted?

Sadiq Khan: Sure. I have to be honest. TfL’s focus in the next few weeks is trying to get a deal over the line.

Keith Prince: I understand that.

Sadiq Khan: I am more than happy to ask the Commissioner to look into what the Member has raised‑‑

Keith Prince: Would you like me to write to you as well, MrMayor, so that you understand?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, if you would not mind because I am not quite sure if I understand. Would you mind?

Keith Prince: Yes, I know it is a bit complicated. That is fair dinkum. All right. By the way, next Thursday I will be sleeping rough in Romford to raise money for the homeless. Would you like to join me, MrMayor?

Climate Emergency and C40 Cities Group

Krupesh Hirani: With reference to your newly acquired role as Chair of the C40 Cities group, how will you be using this global platform to address the climate emergency?

Sadiq Khan: I am honoured to have been elected as Chair of the C40 Cities network representing nearly 100 cities from around the globe. That is over 700million people and a quarter of the global economy. The world is at a crossroads in the fight against climate change. More than half of the world’s population live in cities and this will grow to around 70% by 2050. Cities are at the forefront of climate change and are central to solving it.
I have three key priorities for the role. The first is addressing the twin dangers of air pollution and climate change. Second, I want to ensure that our recovery from the pandemic addresses the inequalities that have been exacerbated in our cities by the pandemic. I have said that two-thirds of C40’s next annual budget will support action in the Global South cities that have contributed least to climate action but are most severely affected by its impacts. Thirdly, I will be calling on national governments to stop delaying and act now or let cities get on with it.
Cities are leading by example. More than 1,000 cities have already pledged to halve their emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Governments around the world must empower their cities to do even more by devolving the necessary powers and funding.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you, MrMayor. I know it has been referred to plenty of times in this meeting before but let me congratulate you on your role as the C40 Chair. I know it is an incredibly proud moment probably not only for you, but for all of London to have us on that global platform and that should be rightly recognised by this Chamber.
At the COP26 summit, you led a delegation of city leaders and since then have said that you have been inundated with requests from fellow mayors around the globe about the ULEZ and the expansion of the Zone, and the work that you are doing in London. Looking closer to home, how are you working with other members of the C40 group and with the Government to spread the best practice that we are seeing in London with other cities?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, we should be proud of the progress that we have made the last five years, not only working with the 97 cities on the C40 but working with UK100, which are 100 towns, cities, regions and villages in the UK doing great work in this area.
One of the things I am really proud of is we have in London this thing called Breathe London, the biggest network of air quality monitors of any city in the world, which let us understand in real time how bad the air was. That is going to be rolled out globally to Breathe Global with the generosity of our donors, so that other cities can see in real time how bad the air is and take action. One of the problems we have is you cannot see this stuff, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide. It is not like the smog in the 1950s. That is why it is so important to measure it.
There are other examples of good practice we are sharing from Barcelona to Bogota, from Dundee to Birmingham, and other good things we are doing. This week when I met with AndyStreet [CBE], the
Mayor of West Midlands we discussed his experiences of the Clean Air Zone and ours with the ULEZ. We need that synergy because national governments are kicking the can down the road to 2035, 2045 and 2060. The point Zack [Polanski AM] made is that I have said that the cities are doers whereas governments are delayers.

Krupesh Hirani: MrMayor, a lot of the work that you have done in London appears to be in the absence of Government action. What would you like to see the Government take forward immediately to make sure that cities across our country can benefit from clean air?

Sadiq Khan: The first thing they have to do is make sure we have a deal in three weeks’ time for TfL. We are not going to encourage people to use public transport and to walk and cycle when we are having to reduce services. That will lead to a car-led recovery, replacing one health crisis, COVID, with another one, poor air quality.
What the Government has to do is have a plan, though - and Léonie [CooperAM] referred to this - around the Green New Deal. If the Government invested in electric buses across the country, better quality air, less emissions, and jobs being created around the country building these buses from Ballymena to Falkirk, from Scarborough to Leeds, from Guildford to other parts of Yorkshire and the Midlands. The same goes for electric taxis and so forth. The Government has to realise that this crisis is actually an opportunity and it is a virtuous circle. Particularly post-Brexit we can now be making sure these buses are made in the UK, which is a good example of London helping the rest of the country because 9,000 of these buses are in London, and a good example of why the Government giving us a deal in three weeks’ time benefits jobs around the country. The Piccadilly line trains are made in Goole. The electric buses are made in Falkirk, Ballymena and parts of Yorkshire. It is really important for the Government to understand that unless it gets involved, not only will we not address the twin challenges of climate change and air quality, but it will lead to jobs that are futureproofed and well-paid.

Krupesh Hirani: Following on from the ULEZ, there was a report recently that showed that Londoners are ditching diesel vehicles six times greater than the rest of the country. With this in mind, are there any other further messages you can send to the Government on pollution from vehicles and how that can boost manufacturing? Will you commit to working with manufacturers to get some of that data on what it actually means to the economy of this country?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, but you raised a really important point about the pivoting from polluting diesels to electric. I am in favour of the West Midlands getting the Gigafactory and I was very disappointed with the Transport Secretary talking against that in favour of Coventry Airport. This is a good example of me being an ally to the Mayor of West Midlands. I wanted them to get the factory because they make the electric batteries. We do not do it in London. I would rather, with respect to my friends in mainland Europe, those jobs go to the West Midlands than other parts of the globe.
We have to think about this particularly in the context of security. There has been a big discussion about energy price increases and the lack of security of energy supply. The same must go for the supply chain generally speaking. Let us try to think about how we can use the crisis of climate change to provide opportunities. That is a really good example of the pivot from diesel to cleaner forms of transport.
Where do we think these electric taxis - more than 4,400 in London, more than any city in the country - are made? They are made in the West Midlands, in Coventry. I visited the factory recently. The same goes for extra buses. We have record numbers of cycle hire bikes. They are not made in London; they are made in the East Midlands and Stoke-on-Trent. It is really important that the Government realises there are opportunities here. I am really proud, by the way, to have fewer diesel vehicles in London, to have fewer diesel buses in London and to have incredibly clean vehicles being used in London. The ideal of course is public transport, walking and cycling and that is why the next three weeks are so important.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you.

Mayor’s Action Plan for improving transparency, accountability and trust in policing

Caroline Russell: Could you update me on your Action Plan for improving transparency, accountability and trust in policing?

Sadiq Khan: Keeping our city safe relies on strong relationships between the police and all of London’s communities. That is why in November2020 I published my Action Plan - Transparency, Accountability and Trust in Policing.
We have made good progress in the years since we published the action plan. The MPS has conducted a review of pre-arrest handcuffing and focused on recruitment and outreach to increase the number of Black recruits. It has also implemented community-led training to ensure new recruits understand the local communities and neighbourhoods they are serving, including training led by Londoners who have lived experience of stop and search. I have made £1.2million available to the MPS over three years to support the progression and promotion of Black officers, and a further £700,000 to invest in community-led training programmes. The public attitudes survey has been extended to ensure the voices of London’s Black communities are better represented. ClaireWaxman, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, has engaged directly with Black women survivors to ensure their experiences are better understood.
The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) regularly publishes updates to provide transparency in the work it is doing and is also establishing an external reference group to further embed community experience and community expertise within our work. I have commissioned research into the effectiveness of cannabis enforcement in tackling violence and a review of community engagement and scrutiny functions to ensure Londoners’ voices are heard. The MPS has published its new policy on handcuffing, reiterating that handcuffing needs to be justifiable and properly recorded, with that justification clearly explained. Additional training for officers began last month, emphasising that handcuffing should not be routine.
I am grateful to all those involved including the many Londoners who continue to help shape this work, but we must be under no illusion about the scale of the challenges the action plan seeks to address. There are no quick fixes to the complex issues that affect all public institutions spanning across generations. This was shown, sadly, this week by AzeemRafiq [former professional cricketer] and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Improving the trust and confidence all Londoners have in their police service is one of the key themes of my draft Police and Crime Plan, which I launched for public consultation this week. The tragic murder of SarahEverard by a serving policer office has further damaged public trust and confidence in our police service, and I have been very clear with the MPS about the changes the public need to see. As Mayor, I will continue to do everything in my power to champion these efforts to ensure London’s police service can regain the trust and confidence of the people it serves.

Caroline Russell: Thank you, MrMayor. I appreciate you have been doing a lot of work on police powers, working with Black communities and working to ensure police better understand communities. I want to pick up on police accountability and disproportionality and raise with you a recent example of a lack of transparency.
In July [2021] I asked you about the demographics of people who had their e-scooters seized. My intention was to check whether there was any disproportionality. The response in September said and I quote, “The MPS does not have the data to be able to report against this,” and so I was very interested when the charity Possible recently used FOIs to the MPS to ask about the demographics of people stopped for e-scooter offences. These FOIs revealed that Black Londoners were over three times more likely to be stopped for
e-scooter offences than white Londoners, and so the data clearly does exist and reveals a worrying disproportionality.
Your answer to the written question was not quite right and I understand that the MPS would have provided that information, but are you comfortable with that lack of transparency?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, no. What the Member raises is a source of concern. If the information exists and it is easily providable, it should be provided, particularly when your function in a democracy is to hold me and the police to account. That is how we engender more confidence.
Can I, Chair, with your permission, take this away and speak to my Deputy Mayor [for Policing and Crime] and to you to see what went wrong and to reassure myself there are no other examples where things may have gone wrong?

Caroline Russell: That would be great. I am not here to gotcha the police but, as you say, my job as an Assembly Member is to scrutinise and I cannot do that if I do not have that information. Now that I have made you aware of this, I welcome your response.
Can you also consider in the spirit of the transparency aim of your action plan to commit to reporting the data on e-scooter seizures so that it can be scrutinised to check for disproportionality, and will you add it to your action plan dashboard?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am not sure how easy or difficult it is but let us work on the basis that it is not difficult. If that is the case, then we should provide it, not just to you but it should be provided. Can I, as part of the work that you are going to do with my Deputy Mayor and me, take that away as well. I do not see why, if it is the case that information is available, we are not providing it.

Caroline Russell: Thank you very much. That is a welcome commitment. There are some outstanding actions that the MPS needs to do for the Police and Crime Committee that stretch back to 15May2018. That is over three and a half years ago, which is actually longer than your second term as Mayor is going to be. Only 34% of October’s written Mayor’s questions about policing were answered in the MOPAC-agreed timeframe, September was 61% and July only 37%. Will you speak to MOPAC and the MPS about their openness and transparency with the Assembly?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. Chair, I am more than happy to. Of course I am. Some of that is simply bandwidth. What we are criticised for doing is having too many staff working for MOPAC and doing the accountability stuff that is so important in a democracy and trying to pivot the resources towards frontline services. We have to make sure we balance the resources around that. If it is the case that the staff who are there should be providing swifter responses, but they are not for other reasons, we will look into it.
Again, can I take that away and speak to my Deputy Mayor [for Policing and Crime] and the Chief Executive [of MOPAC] and see what the source is and why that is the case and rectify it?

Caroline Russell: Thank you very much. That is very welcome. I have no further questions. I am out of time.

Investment in Climate Change

Leonie Cooper: In light of COP26 and the most recent budget from the Chancellor, are you satisfied with the level of investment from the Government into tackling the climate crisis in London and the rest of the country?

Sadiq Khan: COP26 has underlined that we must do much more to tackle the climate emergency and we need to act now. The Climate Change Committee said that the UK must scale up investment to £50billion every year from 2030 to deliver net zero. Despite the CSR claiming to deliver £30billion in public investments for net zero, commitments to date fall well short of what is needed, not even meeting the Government’s manifesto commitment of £9.2billion.
Focusing investment on the energy efficiency of buildings reduces emissions and tackles fuel poverty, and so I have prioritised securing significant energy efficiency funding for London. This includes £8.5million for my Warmer Homes programme, an additional £29million from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and, working with London boroughs, over £120million through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. I also expect to receive funding from the Government’s Sustainable Warmth funding, but the long-term trend of London losing out on the energy company obligation continues, with London only receiving 4.7% of the fund while contributing 13%.
It is not a good story for transport, either. TfL’s medium-term capital plan asked for up to £1.5billion of additional funding per year to support decarbonisation including by encouraging public transport over current car journeys. We did not receive any of that funding, and neither will London receive any of the national £1.2billion bus fund announced in the CSR.
Funding for climate change adaptation is also out of sync with the impacts we are already experiencing. Funding for local adaptation of close to £1million a year was withdrawn in 2016 and there is currently no Government support for local authorities, businesses or communities. This means there is very limited capacity to include adaptation in development plans, enforce building regulations or require enhanced building standards.
In short, we do not yet have the funding that we need for long-term planning or resourcing we need from the Government to get to net zero or adapt London to a changing climate. That being said, I will continue to do what I can to mobilise funding and finance in London to tackle the climate emergency through the
Green New Deal mission, my Energy Efficiency Fund and the development of a finance facility for London.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, MrMayor. I am worried that COP26 should have been a critical moment for the UK to really show climate leadership. I agree with you that [the Rt Hon] AlokSharma [MP, President for COP26] did a very good job, but I am very concerned that the Chancellor’s Budget has not shown the same ambition that AlokSharma clearly wanted the summit to deliver.
One of the areas that I am really concerned about is getting business on the page for that transformation. I know that a lot of people in the public sector and councils and obviously the GLA are completely on the page for trying to move on, but there are a lot of businesses that need support from the Government and need clearer guidance. Would you agree with me that we need to be doing more to support businesses moving forward?

Sadiq Khan: Look, let us be frank. We are not going to get to zero carbon and we are not going to address the climate emergency without the private sector playing its role. There is a huge appetite amongst the private sector, but they need support. The Chancellor’s announcement with MarkCarney [former Governor of the Bank of England] during COP26 was welcome. I want London to be the green capital of the world in relation to green finance, in relation to what the FTSE does, the London Stock Exchange and so forth, but they need support from the Government.
I will give you one example where the Government could support businesses. Businesses want to be moving towards futureproof sectors and futureproof jobs. One of the ways is for them to have certainty of work. If the Government wants to say we are going to have retrofitting of buildings, businesses will invest in insulation, triple-glazing, solar panels, training up their staff and so forth. The Government has to give them that. The same goes with electric buses, electric taxis, charging points and infrastructure.
That is why it is really important the Government realises this is an opportunity. There is an awful crisis. We can turn that into an opportunity. If we do not by the way, Germany and France and the others will. We have to make sure we are ahead of the game, particularly post Brexit. What is our role? It is high-skilled,
well-paid green jobs.

Léonie Cooper: Yes, it is about getting that framework so that business is very clear going forward for small and medium enterprises, exactly the opposite of what happened with the feed-in tariff, which was introduced by EdMiliband [MP] when he was the Secretary of State [for Energy and Climate Change] and was then suddenly destroyed about three years later and hundreds of little companies went under. That is exactly what we do not need.
I just wanted to turn to one other area as well. Biodiversity is often not considered an absolutely critical part of moving forward, but in London we have tried to start moving towards your net zero 2030 target. We need to be thinking about what more biodiversity can do to help us with the carbon sequestration that we clearly need. Is that something that you can work on alone or, again, is that something where we need the Government to be giving clearer signals about how we should move forward?

Sadiq Khan: Of course we want the Government’s support but we can do stuff and we are doing stuff ourselves. Look at the London Plan, which protects our green spaces and protects the
Green Belt, but also protects biodiversity and encourages new biodiversity. I was both pleased and slightly concerned to see, because of our policies and other policies from other people, the River Thames is now welcoming back biodiversity. My concern was that apparently sharks have been spotted in the River Thames. That makes me a bit nervous, but it is great news that we are encouraging dolphins, sharks and other wildlife back. We have to be thinking about that. The London Plan and some of the investment announced for green infrastructure supports our biodiversity, but it is crucial.
There is a meeting my Deputy Mayor [for Environment and Energy] ShirleyRodrigues and I are having next week with a leading expert on nature and biodiversity, which will help us think about what really bold pioneering plans we can have in London.

Léonie Cooper: I am very pleased to say that the peregrine falcons that live near Battersea Power Station are alive and well and have actually been fledging quite a number of ‑‑ I do not know whether they are chicks, but they have been having quite large families over the last few years. There is quite a lot of biodiversity in London. Thank you very much, Chair.

Extreme Weather Events and the London Fire Brigade

Anne Clarke: Your Spending Review submission covered extreme weather events and said, “Failure to maintain real-terms funding will push LFB’s capacity to deal with these incidents”. Did the Spending Review deliver the £3 million a year increase in baseline funding you had requested?

Sadiq Khan: I have not yet received the full details of the CSR settlement from the Government. I expect to do so in December [2021]. The £3million per year increase in baseline funding was proposed specifically to address safety in the built environment to help the Brigade keep Londoners safe. As the LFB helps to respond to extreme weather events, my submission called on the Government to maintain real-terms funding so that the LFB’s capacity to meet the increasing challenges of climate change is not reduced.
The heavy rain that occurred in July this year [2021], which caused serious flooding across London, demonstrated the impact of incidents caused by extreme weather events. Over a four-hour period the LFB received 1,755 calls related to flash flooding and attended 1,430 incidents as a result. The impact of climate change means that incidents caused by extreme weather are projected to become increasingly common. Maintaining real-terms funding for the LFB would help ensure that firefighters are equipped to protect Londoners both now and in the future. Currently the LFB is able to deal with incidents caused by extreme weather, as demonstrated by its response to the flooding events in July.
The LFB has conducted a flood response project to identify new equipment and training requirements, as well as how the LFB collaborates with local partners during flooding incidents. All London firefighters are trained in water rescue, and the LFB has 24 specially trained officers who can provide advice in anticipation of severe weather warnings and a range of specialist equipment to cope with more frequent sudden rainfall. It is essential, though, that the response capability in London is maintained and I will work with allies and the [London Fire] Commissioner, as well as the Deputy Mayor [for Fire and Resilience], to make sure we are in the best position to do so.

Anne Clarke: Thank you for your recognition of this. This is causing a lot of concern. Thank you also to the LFB which continues to work really hard throughout very challenging times.
MrMayor, there is clear evidence that climate-related events are increasing significantly from year to year and that these climate change trends are likely to intensify over the coming years. Is the Government aware of the burden this places on the LFB?

Sadiq Khan: At the moment, no. One of the jobs that we have to do is to persuade it why it is important. I will give you a simple example of where the Government does not. Put aside the LFB for a second. The Environment Agency gives funding for flooding, but it tends to be for flooding caused around coastal parts of the country or the rivers. It does not take into account the flash flooding we saw in London this summer and does not take into account the impact that has on the LFB, the MPS and others as well. We have to make sure the Government realises the impact it has. If we are going to respond, we need to have the resources to do so.

Anne Clarke: Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Has the LFB identified what financial support will be required over the coming years to deal with this increase in extreme weather events and, as you have talked about, the specialist equipment they may require?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, that is a really good question. The LFB, just to reassure Londoners, is in a good position for now. The LFB needs help, though, for the future and the near future.
This July [2021] I have deliberately mentioned the number of calls they received and the incidents they referred to. That gives you an idea of the scale of the challenge they had. At one stage, the control room could not cope with the number of calls being received because of the flash flooding. Notwithstanding working closely with the Met Office in relation to weather forecasts and so forth, we will need more equipment. By the way, we give mutual aid, and we help other parts of the country as well. It is really important that we support them where we can.
We cannot do it alone, though, as London. We need the Government and the Home Office to step in and help out. What the [London Fire] Commissioner has done is to give a case explaining the equipment we need, and we are asking the Government for its support.

Anne Clarke: Thank you, MrMayor. Thank you, Chair.

London Living Wage Week

Marina Ahmad: This week is the 20th anniversary of Living Wage Week. The real London Living Wage reflects the increased cost of living in the capital compared to the rest of the country. What impact does a real London Living Wage have on London’s businesses and the employees who receive it?

Sadiq Khan: Can I thank the Member for her question, particularly pertinent this week. The 20th anniversary of Living Wage Week is well worth celebrating across the United Kingdom (UK) and especially in London. This week I announced the new London Living Wage rate of £11.05 an hour. The number of London Living Wage employers has quadrupled since I was elected in 2016. I am proud that over 2,400 of the country’s 9,000 accredited living wage employers are based in London, where the campaign began 20 years ago.
This growth is testament to the efforts of so many workers, community groups and employers. The London Living Wage is making a profound contribution to the standard of living and wellbeing of thousands of Londoners and their families. Over 100,000 Londoners received a pay rise when the new rate was announced this week. Living Wage employers report they are able to attract, recruit and retain the best talent, and that their employees are happier and more productive at work. Paying the Living Wage makes good business sense.
I have put the Living Wage at the heart of my Good Work Standard, which sets the benchmark for good employment practice in London. Over 235,000 Londoners work for our 100 accredited Good Work Standard employers covering sectors as diverse as retail, construction, transport, health, local government, media, charities, law and finance. They all recognise that good work starts with their pay. Despite these successes, we still have a long way to go. One in five jobs in London pays less than the Living Wage. Therefore, we need to get out there and make the case for more employers to sign up.
This week, I also announced London’s plans to become a Living Wage city, reaffirming the pledge I made when I was re-elected. This new campaign will bring together London’s communities, employers, trade unions and workers, to solve London’s biggest pay challenges. The first campaign steering group is meeting in the new year. I am calling on all organisations to play their part, especially those in the sectors that are pivotal to our recovery from the COVID pandemic, like retail, hospitality, the night-time economy, health and social care.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor. I know that many people, including those in my own constituency of Lambeth and Southwark, are delighted with the announcement that you have made. The Government announced a pay increase to the national minimum wage to £9.50, which falls considerably short of what you have announced. This comes on top of the cut to the universal credit uplift, which leaves many Londoners struggling to make ends meet. There was nothing in the recent budget for those who cannot work. That includes carers, those with young children, and people who are sick or disabled, who face the same costs and pressures as other households and will still have a black hole in their finances after the universal credit cut. What support can you provide to these Londoners in the absence of Government action?

Sadiq Khan: Just to remind you that the difference between somebody from next April receiving the Government’s minimum wage, and those receiving the London Living Wage in London is £4,000 a year. That is the difference it makes to an individual. What we are trying to do is, being honest, we cannot fill the massive hole left by Government cuts to welfare benefits, to the increase in National Insurance from next year, to off-benefit caps, to the increased cost of living. What we can do though is, using our limited resources, help Londoners in relation to the heating of their homes. We have a Warmer Homes programme, which is trying to help Londoners reduce their energy bills. We also have an Advice in the Community Settings programme, which is helping people with debt. What we do not want people to be doing is getting into debt through loan sharks and those who charge high interest rates; therefore, we are giving advice on debts.
The third really important piece of work, particularly as the weather gets colder, is the Life Off the Streets programme helping rough sleepers. You will be aware from your constituents, some people can - because of the increased cost of living - lose their homes and become rough sleepers. We are going to get them off the streets as soon as possible. One example of the things we are doing this winter.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor, very welcome initiatives. Just following on from this, what impact will the budget have on the cost of living for Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: Unfortunately, the universal credit cut of £20 a week still took place and the announcement from the Chancellor about the tapered relief does not help as many Londoners as need the help. We are really concerned about the increase in inflation. You will have seen the figures this week about inflation going up even further, which means that a real cost of living crisis, with wages not meeting the increased cost of living. The Government has announced - which I welcome - a hardship fund. It is £500million. Again, it does not fill the hole left by the consequences of some of their policies. We will have to wait and see the detail of how the [Comprehensive] Spending Review (CSR) plays out. I am concerned about austerity continuing, even though we were led to believe that austerity would come to an end with the election of this Government in November 2019.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor. The Chancellor acknowledged every child’s right to succeed. However, as you know, we have high child poverty levels in London and this budget left too much still to do. It was good to see that the Chancellor acknowledged that ten years of austerity has had an adverse impact on children’s start in life. What conversations are you having with the Chancellor to lobby for family hubs that have been announced to be set up in London?

Sadiq Khan: So far, no good news regarding money from the Treasury in relation to family hubs. We are hoping to meet with the new Secretary of State for Education to discuss this issue. We are doing some work - you will be aware - with colleagues across London with the London Recovery Programme. Involved are the anchor institutions, the National Health Service (NHS), and other key colleagues. We are working with other colleagues across London. No support up until now from the Government about the family hub. We have known from the early years work we have done, the early years hubs, the early years campaign, as to how much of a game-changer it can be for families who did not know of some of the facilities on offer. It is particularly relevant this winter as we approach much colder weather, more energy bills, potentially increasing food prices as well. That is why it is really important these poorer families receive the support they need.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor. Thank you, Chair.

Private Renting and Homelessness This Winter

Sem Moema: Londoners are in for a difficult winter due to the increase in cost of living, flatlining wages and removal of the Universal Credit uplift safety net. With the recent increase of London’s rents, how can you support Londoners at risk of homelessness this winter?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am sorry those who came here and heckled are not here to listen to this answer and this question. I hope the Tory Members who were articulating and playing to the gallery do listen to the answer to this question.
I am very concerned that many Londoners are facing a tough winter. The Government is choosing to make a difficult situation even harder by adding the Universal Credit cut and the end of the eviction ban to the ongoing economic uncertainty, all while rents are continuing to rise in London. Throughout the pandemic I lobbied the Government to provide grants to help renters clear rent arrears caused by the pandemic so that they could stay in their homes, and I have welcomed the £65million additional homelessness prevention grant announced last month to help renters. It will not be enough to protect many of London’s renters from eviction, but it is an important step and an acknowledgement of the Government’s responsibility to act. An increasing proportion of Londoners rely on benefits to pay their rent, now around two in five private-renting households. For many Londoners, the benefits they are entitled to do not cover their full rent. I fear the Government’s removal of £20 a week from Universal Credit on top of the precarious situation many renters already find themselves in will be leaving many Londoners unable to pay their rent. I was hugely disappointed to see in the CSR detailed plans for Local Housing Allowance rates to remain at April 2020 levels into 2022 and 2023. Benefit levels need to recognise the cost of renting.
As things stand, I have limited powers to act directly, but I am lobbying for these immediate actions from the Government. I will continue to make sure we build genuinely affordable homes in London where they are needed. I will continue to help rough sleepers and to increase supply of affordable housing, the ultimate solution to homelessness.

Sem Moema: Thank you, MayorKhan. It is really important to demonstrate the complexity of homelessness. As you rightly touched on, there is street homelessness. There are also those in the private-rented sector who have been forced into statutory homelessness. The Universal Credit cut in the last few months has only exacerbated that situation with a significant number of boroughs that are not able to afford private housing in their own boroughs.
I want to ask you about the Everyone In scheme, which during the pandemic did have some significant success with providing accommodation to about 90% of street homeless people through that period. I am just wondering what conversations or additional funding you might expect to make sure that that programme can be continued, and to make sure that the rising numbers of street homelessness and statutory homelessness as a result of the pandemic and people losing their jobs can be addressed and does not continue to go up.

Sadiq Khan: These are particularly pertinent questions bearing in mind the weather is getting colder outside. TomCopley [Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development] has done a really good job coordinating with councils across our city, housing charities, experts, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and so forth in advance of this winter, which is really important.
You will be aware the Everyone In policy arose from the In For Good policy we have had since I became Mayor, which means when somebody is seen by one of our severe weather emergency shelters or one of our partners and we get them in, we try to keep them in for good so that they do not go back out on the streets, with the wraparound care that they need. As you said, 90% of those whom we saw stayed in for good.
The issue is a pipeline of new people who become rough sleepers, and so the work we are doing this winter will repeat the good lessons we have learned in previous years. For example, I changed the protocols around the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) and when the severe weather accommodation opens so that they open far more speedily even when it is only zero degrees or approaching zero degrees on one day rather than three days, and all across London rather than just in some boroughs.
However, we need support from the Government. Councils are really struggling with the cuts they have had over the last 11 years. The CSR did not give them the monies that they had hoped for. Tom [Copley] and my team are speaking to the Government. I welcome [the Rt Hon] MichaelGove [MP] being the new Secretary of State [for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities]. He gets it, and so we are going to talk to him about what support we can give this winter.
I just remind colleagues who may not realise this, but I suspect there will be more people being made homeless, rough sleepers as well as social homelessness, as a direct consequence of some of the policies from the Government. That is why it is really important we stop people from being homeless in the first place as well as giving them support to get them off the streets if they are.

Sem Moema: Thank you. I was going to ask you about DeputyMayorCopley’s work but you have covered that.
I just wanted to say that I have asked you on a few occasions about the progress that we have made with the Private Rent Commission and other work that we are doing to try to encourage the Government to devolve some of those powers to London so that we can provide protections for people. I just want to extend my ongoing support and advocacy for that particular position for Londoners, so that we can make sure that we have some controls over the market here in London and that we are able to protect people in their homes.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, the truth is the good news there - because there is lots of bad news - is that some of our colleagues in the build-to-rent sector are providing rent freezes for a period going forward, which is really encouraging. The bad news is we still have not persuaded the Government to give us the powers that we need for a Private Rent Commission, or to have a rent freeze in those properties not under some of our good friends in the build-to-rent sector. It is really important. You have seen the inflation figures. You have seen that the wages are not going up by the inflation figures. Something has got to give.

Sem Moema: OK. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.

The cost of travelling by public transport

Siân Berry: Do you agree that it is unfair that it costs more to use public transport than to drive in London?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair. Since I was first elected in 2016, keeping public transport fares low has been a top priority for me. As well as introducing the Hopper bus fare, allowing passengers to make unlimited free bus and tram transfers within an hour, I froze all pay-as-you-go fares for the whole of my first term as Mayor. Fares increased earlier this year only because they were required to do so by the Government’s part of the last TfL funding deal. Public transport remains the cheapest and most attractive option for many journeys. Hopper bus and tram fares are £1.55 and pay-as-you-go fares are capped daily and weekly. The daily charge for travelling in zones one and two is capped at £7.40, which is considerably less than the Congestion Charge. I have also protected concessions, including the 60-plus
Oyster card and the under-18 Zip Oyster card, despite the Government’s best efforts to have them removed.
It is fair that, like public transport users, people who drive pay for the full impact of their travel. London suffers from the worst traffic congestion in the UK and the Congestion Charge is designed to encourage motorists to use other modes of transport. It has helped London become the only major city in the world to see a shift from private car use to public transport, walking and cycling.
Of course, it would be unfair for people using the TfL public transport network to carry the burden of the lack of adequate funding from Government. It is unfair that revenue raised from car owners in London is not available to pay for the upkeep of the roads they use in the same way that, for example, Tube customers pay for the maintenance of the trains they use through the fares they pay. This leads to a situation where London public transport users are subsidising London private car drivers. That is why I have repeatedly called on the Government to devolve London’s share of the Vehicle Excise Duty to the capital. As we approach the deadline for the next TfL funding deal, I hope we can work together to lobby the Government before 11December [2021].

Siân Berry: Thank you very much, MrMayor. I was not expecting to have tabled the last ever Mayor’s question answered in this Chamber, but I appear to be in that position and so let us make it a good one.

Andrew Boff: It depends how long you go on for.

Siân Berry: Thank you very much, MrMayor. Other cities are far behind us on this relative cost of driving and public transport, but I have been looking at the bigger picture across London, trying to add up every kilometre that people travel and every penny that people pay on different modes. No matter what I do, it comes out that people are paying more per kilometre for public transport travel across the piece than for driving in private cars. If you are expecting people to change behaviour, the macroeconomics of this just are not right. We are not following the road user hierarchy in economic terms if people are paying less per kilometre to drive than they are to take public transport.
If this one important macroeconomic lever is not being pulled right now, how are you, MrMayor, proposing to fix this?

Sadiq Khan: The problem with your question is it is based on an assumption that there has not been a shift from private car use to walking, cycling and public transport. There has been, which shows our policies are working. We have seen a shift since the ULEZ was introduced. We have seen a shift before that with the Congestion Charge. I am hoping to see a further shift with the expansion of the ULEZ.
It is a fact, as I am regularly reminded by my friends up north, that public transport in London is cheaper than in other parts of the country, but it is a fact, as I remind them, that driving a car in London is far more expensive than in other parts of the country.

Siân Berry: I agree that we are ahead of other cities and I agree that we have been talking all day about the other levers that you might use, but the way I see it, I have always talked about having a prescription of three active ingredients, if you like, to clear congestion: prioritising space on the street, genuinely improving public transport with better buses and trains, and then price and these relative costs that we have been talking about.
In reality, we have some councils reversing Streetspace measures. We have on public transport huge jeopardy in terms of improvements because of the situation with the Government. As we are not getting the modes of transport relative costs right either, literally none of these active ingredients are actually active right now in London.
I have asked the question about costs because there is this important thing that I have talked about many times in this Chamber that you have not taken action on, which is smarter, fairer road charging. I want to know if you are making any progress on that particular active ingredient.

Sadiq Khan: Again, the first part of your question is a misrepresentation because we have the boldest active travel policies of any global city in the world. We have increased fivefold the amount of safe cycling in our city. We have now increased the amount of walking space by 21,000 square metres. We are providing active travel in our city. We now have more than 400 School Streets just in the last year so that more children, their parents and their carers are walking, cycling or scootering to and from school, including teachers and staff using other forms of public transport as well. It is not true to say that we do not have active travel in London.
I have always said we will keep under review road user charging, including smart road user charging. We are looking at the technology, and we are doing work in relation to what we can do to make sure we have road user charging always kept under review. That is one of the reasons why I consulted, up until 6October, on a permanent change to the Congestion Charge rather than the temporary increase imposed upon us by the Government. The ULEZ expansion is a good example of the road user charge scheme.
Look, we are always keeping these things under review. I am always happy to work closely with you on these issues because both of us have the same ambition with the ends‑‑

Siân Berry: Yes. In light of some of the really micro discussions that were going on earlier on, I want to keep that bigger picture in mind and to keep these three active ingredients going in the right direction. At the moment, they are in danger of going backwards and we need to make sure that does not happen.

Andrew Boff: I am afraid you are not going to be able to answer that, MrMayor, because the Green Group is now out of time. I apologise. You are free to go, MrMayor. Those are all the questions.

Youth Unemployment

Sakina Sheikh: The effects of job losses from the pandemic in London have hit young people the hardest. What can City Hall do to help improve employment levels for young people?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you, Chair, for this important question. With furlough now ended and the latest figures showing youth unemployment still above pre-pandemic levels, it is crucial that we do all that we can to support young people as part of London’s wider recovery.
Through my Academies Programme, we are investing to help the most impacted Londoners into good jobs in sectors that are key to London’s recovery. My £32million Good Work Fund, £11.5million Careers Hubs and No Wrong Door Programme will provide a high-quality offer of skills, work experience, careers advice and mentoring to support young Londoners and people most in need into good work. Through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), we are supporting Londoners aged 19-plus to develop a range of skills and access support to find work. In 2019 and 2020 around 24,500 young people aged 19 to 24 enrolled in 46,000 courses.
As part of the New Deal for Young People, we are also investing in a programme to increase high-quality and inclusive mentoring opportunities in London’s growth sectors, so that more young Londoners can benefit from mentorship with industry professionals. We are working closely with London’s anchor institutions on how they can support the New Deal for Young People through funding, technical assistance, coordination and communications, as well as recruitment of mentors. Through the London Recovery Board, we are working with partners to ensure that young Londoners are aware of the opportunities available to them and can make the most of them to find good work and to flourish.

Sakina Sheikh: Thank you very much, MrMayor, and good afternoon to you now. Perhaps it is me attempting to cling onto my youth, but I would say that the precarity of rent, the escalating cost of living and the precarity of the employment landscape that we were discussing means that, even beyond the age of 24, the precarity of youth is still felt to people even in their 30s. For me, what anchored this particular question was, in the pandemic, 80% of job losses were by those under the age of 35. That is devastating, really.
For me, it is really fantastic to hear you outline what you are doing to support young people in London to get back into employment. One of the things I wanted to address in that process is, even once we have young people in employment, the nature of the gig economy and the precarity of the work that comes from
zero-hour contracts means that many young people are in exploitative employment practices or experiencing it. What is it that you can do to protect our young people who are experiencing exploitative employment practices?

Sadiq Khan: Look, Chair, if the Member thinks she is trying hard to hold onto her youth, I will have a conversation with her offline about my attempts to try to hold onto my youth.
It is a really important issue you raise. When I began my career I reflect, because I was in employment in a career that had progression, there was training, there was a clear career path and there was security. The generation aged 18 onwards does not have the same career path in most of the jobs out there. The new jobs, by the way, in the gig economy do not have that career path, the training and the security. You just think about - and I know you know many young people - the difficulty of getting a mortgage or providing the security to a landlord to get a property. It is really important we think about this.
I know a lot of people in this Assembly - thankfully not the majority - are anti-trade unions but look at the great work the GMB did in relation to getting a recognition agreement with Uber for some of the drivers in these uncertain economies. I commend Uber, by the way, for recognising the GMB and the great work the GMB did. That is one of the reasons why collectively organising can lead to improvements in the workplace.
One of the things we have to do is recognise that the gig economy is here. How do we make sure it is
fit-for-purpose going forward? That means regulation keeping abreast of developments but also things like paying off taxation and so forth. We have to understand the challenges young people face, and also try to support them. That is what we are seeking to do in City Hall.

Sakina Sheikh: Thank you, MrMayor. I accept we have to recognise the gig economy is here, but I do struggle to reconcile my acceptance for it staying. It should be on its way out because not only does it, like we say, create precarity of employment once it has been brought, but there are - and I will move on to this next part with my follow-ups - the current working conditions of some young people once they get work. Talking about union recognition in workplaces is incredibly important. They are absolutely the backbone of those who negotiate our working conditions.
For me, one campaign that was brought to light for me when I was at my Unite policy conference is around the hospitality sector. Nine out of ten people in the hospitality sector, regardless of gender, have experienced sexual harassment. I found that astonishing. For me, nine out of ten is essentially saying that everyone in the hospitality sector has experienced sexual harassment. I wonder what we are doing to say boldly that misogyny and sexual harassment in any industry, but particularly in the hospitality sector is unacceptable, just to add a small layer on why this is particularly insidious, especially given the precarity of trying to get work. A lot of what I have been told by hospitality workers is there is a bigger dependence on tips and so it creates quite a high threshold of sensitivity to sexual harassment because it tops up their wages.
There is a melting pot right now of exploitative working practices. Particularly on the point of sexual harassment, can you let me know what you are doing from City Hall to protect our young workers, not just in hospitality, but beyond?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for raising this really important issue that affects a lot of Londoners and a lot of people across the country. Your use of the word ‘desensitising’ is really important. A lot of this sexual harassment is a criminal offence but, if people have less trust and confidence in the police, do not be surprised if it is under-reported.

Sakina Sheikh: Exactly.

Sadiq Khan: We have to make sure there is more trust and confidence in the criminal justice system. We have to make sure certain things are criminal offences. Misogyny should be a hate crime. The harassment of people in public spaces should be a criminal offence.

Sakina Sheikh: Absolutely.

Sadiq Khan: We have to make sure we address some of these big changes. Also, we have to make that workplace safe. One of the things we have been working on - and you asked what we are doing specifically - is AmyLamé [Night Czar] has done a great job in relation to getting more and more organisations signed up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter, which sets out expectations on businesses. The great news is more than 600 businesses, nightclubs, restaurants, bars and others in hospitality have signed up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter which gives a responsibility to staff members but also members of the public as well. That is really important. Similarly, there is the Ask For Angela scheme, and also the toolkit we have set up after listening to experts in violence against women and girls.
There are two other things we have to do. We have to make sure - in inverted commas - ‘whistleblowing’ is far easier and grievance procedures in the workplace, including disciplinary procedures. Look, an MP this week said she was the victim of a criminal assault, by the way, a criminal offence, and did not have the confidence - and there are many people who were nodding their heads because they have probably experienced something similar - to report this. It is not just people in hospitality. It is others in jobs who do not have the confidence to come forward. There are often good reasons like previous experiences. That cannot be right.
We have to at the same time be tackling the behaviour of men because at the core of this is how my sex is behaving. Yes, of course we are going to make sure of better support for women, better support for girls and better support for those working in hospitality. What about the guys doing this stuff. Take action against them. Throw the book at them. Arrest them. Charge them. Tackle their behaviour. There has to be more of that. That includes people like me being an ally and talking about it and calling it out and doing much more from City Hall, but there is a big challenge.
The final thing is one of the reasons why trade unions are a wonderful thing. If you work in hospitality, join a trade union because a trade union will be your ally, your advocate and your friend here.

Sakina Sheikh: Hear, hear. Thank you very much, MrMayor. Thank you, Chair.

Prevent in London

Unmesh Desai: How successfully is the Government’s Prevent scheme operating in London to identify and deradicalise potential violent extremists?

Sadiq Khan: Terrorism remains a significant threat to our society, as the tragic murder of SirDavidAmessMP and the explosion outside the Liverpool Women’s Hospital this week have shown. The pandemic left people more isolated and spending increased amounts of time online, and extremists have used this opportunity to spread their hateful ideologies to those vulnerable to radicalisation. It is more critical than ever that our national counterterrorism strategy includes a fit-for-purpose plan to identify and assist those vulnerable to radicalisation, as well as those who have already been indoctrinated.
My Countering Violent Extremism Programme delivered the most comprehensive engagement and review exercise in this policy area ever, including a full and frank assessment of Prevent. It found that Prevent has done some good work, no doubt saving lives, but it also found significant shortcomings. Referrals from friends, family and community members in particular are low, resulting in missed opportunities to intervene. Sadly, we have also seen instances where individuals previously referred to Prevent alongside those known to have held violent extremist views in prison, go on to commit acts of terrorism. The programme’s final report set out that it was time for a rethink to make Prevent more effective.
Some improvements have been made since then, such as the introduction of the ACT Early campaign but more needs to be done. I welcomed the Government’s decision in January2019 to deliver an independent review of Prevent, and I look forward to reading the recommendations and the Government’s response. However, this review has been dogged with problems and is well behind schedule.
I have invested more than any other mayor in this area, including delivering £1.4million in funding through my Shared Endeavour Fund for grassroots civil society projects that counter hate, extremism and radicalisation across the capital. I will continue to do what I can in London to strengthen our communities against extremism, as I know that Assembly Member UnmeshDesai is doing as well.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor, for that detailed answer. MrMayor, as we know, anyone can make a referral to the Prevent programme, including social media companies, if they wish to. However, I recently received data, about which the MPS spoke at yesterday’s Police and Crime Committee and confirmed my understanding, showing that no referrals to the Prevent programme in London have ever been made by a social media company.
Considering the type of extremist content that social media companies monitor and remove from their sites, what more could they be doing to keep us safe? Do you think it would help if there was a duty on these companies to make referrals to the Prevent programme?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for your question and thank you for raising a really important issue. Look, let us just park and accept that social media, generally speaking, is a great thing. We all use it, and we can see the benefits of social media to our society and so forth. However, self-regulation is clearly not working. It is not working.
The Online Safety Bill is an opportunity to address some of the concerns we have. There is an issue - we do not have time to go into it now - with a legal duty and we need to weigh up the pros and cons and to make sure that it worked. I am hoping that the combination of the Online Safety Bill and the independent review addresses some of the points you have raised, which are really important points.
What I am quite clear about is social media companies are not doing enough to address some of the propaganda and hate messages that are on their platforms. They need to do more to take action against the users who exploit their technology to spread hate and disinformation. Also, they have to change their algorithms and how they reward bad behaviour, which is what they are doing, which clearly cannot be right.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you. I have two more minutes left and so I have to ask you this question, MrMayor, in the light of recent events in the cricketing world. Sport plays a big role, as I am sure you will agree, in bringing communities together and promoting community cohesion, which is so important in terms of the issues we are talking about here.
You referred to the Yorkshire cricketer AzeemRafiq earlier in response to a question from AssemblyMemberRussell. Will you join me in condemning the inaction of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club in particular, and other cricket clubs that we now know of and counties, in tackling the deep-rooted issues of institutional racism, and welcome any moves to establish initiatives similar to that in football - Kick Racism Out of Football is what I am thinking of here - as advocated by the Chair of the Commons Select Committee that took evidence from AzeemRafiq? It was something that moved us all so much. It was such powerful testimony from him.

Sadiq Khan: Yes. Look, it was uncomfortable to watch what was said, but I recognised a lot of what was said and a lot of it did not surprise me. I was reflecting on why I stopped playing cricket with certain teams and then in my later years played for Asian-only teams. It is an important issue that that has been highlighted that we have to think about.
The best way to prevent radicalisation is for us to mix and mingle more. Sport unites. What sport does is it brings people together of different backgrounds, different races, and different religions. Some of my best friends I have met through sport. However, if it is the case that the way sport is conducted, run and regulated leads to people not feeling comfortable or welcome in a mixed environment with different backgrounds, different ethnicities, and different religions so that they are joining mono-ethnic, mono-religious teams, that cannot be good. That is a breeding ground for those who want to divide communities and have a propaganda of hate. That is why many of us were triggered by what was said because, as brave as he was, we recognised it.
LordPatel [of Bradford OBE] - who is a friend and I declare an interest - has now taken over at Yorkshire County Cricket Club and has a tough but important job to do because many of us love cricket, love playing cricket and love watching cricket, and we love the fact that our world champion team had Muslims in it. It is a source of pride that Moeen [Ali] and Adil [Rashid] were in the England team that won the World Cup, but it cannot be right that AdilRashid’s experiences are not dissimilar from some of those we heard this week. He is an England World Cup champion, all right, and that is why it is a problem. We have to kick it out of all sports. We have to kick it out of cricket. We have to kick it out of society.
I want to commend what AzeemRafiq did this week. I want to commend him for his bravery over the last few years. He probably had a fantastic career that was wasted because of racism. The book should be thrown at all those responsible. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has questions to answer as well, and I am hoping action is taken.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor. I have two other questions, but I will put those two in writing.

Tackling air pollution in London

Hina Bokhari: Are policies to tackle particulate pollution in London sufficiently robust?

Sadiq Khan: I have made London’s environment the top priority and as a result our city now leads the world on tackling air pollution and climate change. However, there is no room for complacency. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the pollutant most harmful to human health. Air pollution remains the biggest environmental health issue in London. In my Environment Strategy, I set out a target to achieve the now interim World Health Organization (WHO) recommended target of 10micrograms per metre cubed for PM2.5 by 2030. Analysis by King’s College London published in October 2019 showed that, through my policies, and with additional powers and funding, it is possible for London to meet my target, which is well above the Government’s own targets nationally.
We have already made good progress. Since 2016, my policies have led to a 15% reduction in PM2.5
London-wide. Road transport is the largest individual source of local PM2.5 emissions, and the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) contributed to a 27% drop in PM2.5 concentrations in the zone in just two years. Over the same period, PM2.5 concentrations remained flat nationally. The recent expansion of the ULEZ to the North and South Circular Roads, which was opposed by many in this Assembly, is expected to help reduce road transport exhaust emissions across London, but this is not a foregone conclusion. We are working hard to make this expansion a success.
I am continuing to invest in cleaning up the bus and taxi fleets and making it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle. I have used the limited powers I have to tackle non-transport emissions, including through the London-wide Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Low Emission Zone, and new air quality guidelines in the London Plan. I do not have the powers I need to tackle all non-transport sources of PM2.5, which account for around 70% of local emissions, including wood burning and commercial cooking. Much of the PM2.5 measured in London actually comes from sources outside the city, meaning national and European action is needed.

Hina Bokhari: Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for mentioning the wood burning issue. One major form of particulate pollution is from wood burning stoves, and it is not visible to the naked eye and quite dangerous. Both short and long-term exposure to PM2.5 increase the risk of early death from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as increased hospital admissions. What plans do you have for raising awareness of this particular issue amongst Londoners, and are you committed to a proper awareness campaign with a real budget for communication?

Sadiq Khan: We have been working with local boroughs on what we can do in relation to this issue. We have lobbied the Government unsuccessfully for more powers around this issue, including tighter emission standards, stronger reinforcement powers and minimum emission standards for new wood burning stoves, without success. What we have done instead, as the Member alludes to, is do what we can to raise awareness. We are working with Impact on Urban Health and Kantar on research around this area of wood burning. We have also worked with Kantar, which has developed several platform options to test what works in terms of messaging, and this will be tested with focus groups before developing, as has been suggested, a toolkit for communications around wood burning. We have also supported a multi-borough application to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Air Quality Grants Programme, which is focused on quantifying the emissions from different types of wood burning and raising awareness of the impact of wood burning. If successful, the research element of the project would start in April[2022], with the dedicated campaign in 15 boroughs starting the following year and that will be informed by the findings of the Kantar work.

Hina Bokhari: That is great news about the lobbying, but we need some money now. You did invest £20,000 back in 2018 with an industry information campaign, encouraging people who currently use an open fire to switch to a cleaner Ecodesign Ready Wood Burning Stove. That was welcome, but that was over three years ago and we do need some more money now. That was nothing compared to what we really have in front of us, a massive task. Will you write to me with some serious initiatives that you plan to take up and tackle this growing issue, particularly when it comes to that budget?

Sadiq Khan: The reason why the industry work was so important is that they make the kit that is leading to the particulate matter coming out and if they have cleaner kit with the right wood burning material that will obviously lead to less particulate matter, so that was really important. As I said in my answer, we have applied to Defra for grant money to do more work going forward, but I am more than happy to write to the Member in relation to this work that we are doing. If she has got any idea of more monies we can be applying for or receiving, I am more than happy to listen to ideas that she may have.

Hina Bokhari: Thank you. You are now the Chair of C40 Cities [Climate Leadership Group], a global network of 100 cities, working to address climate change, which is a powerful role and a significant responsibility during the climate emergency. Given that, and the fact that eco wood burning stoves on average emit 750 times more particulate matter than a modern truck exhaust, will you be willing to raise this issue, not just here in London, but on a global stage?

Sadiq Khan: With respect, in the Global South wood burning is about a necessity and we have got to work with them in relation to giving them the finances they need around resilience, adaptation and support. When you think of the challenges, particularly those that the cities in the Global South face, we have got particular issues and I think Zack[Polanski AM] raised the issue about how COP26 had let down some of those countries with the lack of the nationally determined targets they have got. We are doing lots of work on the C40, and air pollution is part of this. One of the works, which I announced two weeks ago, was around Breathe Global, using some of the lessons from Breathe London to try to improve air quality around the world. That includes particulate matter, and wood burning is one of the causes of particulate matter, but there are a whole host of issues, which we are going to deal with on the C40 network. Air quality is clearly one of them.

Hina Bokhari: Thank you.